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B-166943, FEB 16, 1971

B-166943 Feb 16, 1971
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EMPLOYEE WHO IS SELECTED FOR ASSIGNMENT IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY FOR TWO YEARS UNDER THE EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM MAY HAVE THE ASSIGNMENT REGARDED AS A TRANSFER IN THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE SELECTEE DOES NOT ACTUALLY LEAVE THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND THE ASSIGNMENT AIDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THE TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES ARE PAYABLE AS IN THE CASE OF AN EMPLOYEE TRANSFER. ALTHOUGH THE RETURN TRANSPORTATION OF EMPLOYEE'S DEPENDENTS AND EFFECTS MAY BE MADE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S RETURN TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE HE MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED THEREFORE UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE IS TRANSFERRED BACK TO HIS FORMER STATION. REQUESTING A DECISION FROM OUR OFFICE CONCERNING THE PAYMENT OF TRAVEL OF DEPENDENTS AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM.

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B-166943, FEB 16, 1971

EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM - SELECTEES TRANSPORTATION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT DECISION AS TO ENTITLEMENT OF EMPLOYEE SELECTED UNDER EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM TO WORK IN PRIVATE BUSINESS FOR TWO-YEARS TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORATION OF DEPENDENTS AND HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ON RETURN TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT. EMPLOYEE WHO IS SELECTED FOR ASSIGNMENT IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY FOR TWO YEARS UNDER THE EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM MAY HAVE THE ASSIGNMENT REGARDED AS A TRANSFER IN THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE SELECTEE DOES NOT ACTUALLY LEAVE THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND THE ASSIGNMENT AIDS CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THEREFORE, THE TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES ARE PAYABLE AS IN THE CASE OF AN EMPLOYEE TRANSFER. ALTHOUGH THE RETURN TRANSPORTATION OF EMPLOYEE'S DEPENDENTS AND EFFECTS MAY BE MADE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S RETURN TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE HE MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED THEREFORE UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE IS TRANSFERRED BACK TO HIS FORMER STATION.

TO MR. MAHONEY:

THIS REFERS TO YOUR LETTER OF JANUARY 13, 1971, REQUESTING A DECISION FROM OUR OFFICE CONCERNING THE PAYMENT OF TRAVEL OF DEPENDENTS AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM.

YOU SAY THAT ONE OF THE INTERCHANGE EXECUTIVES WHO IS CURRENTLY ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM A FEDERAL AGENCY IS WORKING FOR PRIVATE INDUSTRY. HIS TRANSFER ORDERS NOTE THAT "RETURN PCS MOVE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY JULY 1, 1971." A DEFINITE TIME LIMITATION IS PLACED ON THE PARTICIPANT'S ASSIGNMENT - THAT IS, IN NO CASE MAY THE INTERCHANGE ASSIGNMENTS LAST MORE THAN TWO YEARS. FOR PERSONAL REASONS THE INDIVIDUAL'S FAMILY MUST RETURN TO THE WASHINGTON AREA PRIOR TO THE END OF THE PARTICIPANT'S ASSIGNMENT. YOU REQUEST INFORMATION WHETHER THE EMPLOYEE WOULD BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF TRAVEL OF HIS DEPENDENTS AND TRANSPORTATION OF HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AT THE TIME OF HIS TRANSFER TO THE WASHINGTON AREA.

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 11451, DATED JANUARY 19, 1969, ESTABLISHED THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION ON PERSONNEL INTERCHANGE. A FUNCTION OF THE COMMISSION WAS TO DEVELOP AN EXECUTIVE INTERCHANGE PROGRAM UNDER WHICH EXECUTIVES OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WOULD "BE PLACED IN POSITIONS" IN THE OTHER SECTOR. THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR SELECTEES DO NOT ACTUALLY LEAVE THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND AS THE TRANSFER IS A PART OF THEIR GOVERNMENT CAREER AND AIDS THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT WE CONSIDER THESE TRANSFERS TO BE IN THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT. THUS, THE TRAVEL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES ARE PAYABLE ON THE SAME BASIS AS IN THE CASE OF ANY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WHO IS TRANSFERRED IN THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT ON A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION.

WHEN THE TRAVEL OF THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND TRANSPORTATION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ARE MADE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S TRANSFER AND THE TRAVEL ORDER SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED TO THE EMPLOYEE INCLUDES AUTHORIZATION FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF DEPENDENTS AND HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, IT IS NOT MATERIAL THAT SUCH TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ACTUALLY WAS PERFORMED BEFORE THE TRANSFER OF THE EMPLOYEE. SEE 29 COMP. GEN. 160; ID. 232; 27 ID. 97; 25 ID. 444.

HOWEVER, AS INDICATED IN YOUR LETTER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TRAVEL OF THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS MAY NOT BE MADE PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S TRANSFER BACK TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION.

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